WordGarden.iotranspiration
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /trænspərˈeɪʃən/
US
- /trænspərˈeɪʃən/
Meanings
Noun
the release of water vapor from a plant, especially through its leaves
the giving off of water vapor through skin or other body tissue
Beyond the definition
Imagine a hot summer day. You sweat to cool down, right? Plants do something a bit similar. They release water vapor through tiny pores in their leaves, and this process is called transpiration. It is not only about cooling. It also helps pull water and minerals up from the roots to the rest of the plant. Think of a tree in a forest. Some of the moisture in the air around it comes from this quiet process. Without it, plants would not move water through their bodies the same way, and life on land would look very different.
Transpiration is the process by which water moves through a plant and then evaporates from above-ground parts such as leaves, stems, and flowers. It is often compared to sweating, but it does much more than help with temperature control. Plants take in water through their roots, and that water helps carry minerals and supports many of the plant's basic functions. Much of the water is then released into the air as water vapor, mainly through tiny openings in the leaves called stomata.
This process is not just a side effect. It helps create the pull that moves more water upward from the roots, almost like a natural pump. Transpiration also plays an important part in the Earth's water cycle and can affect local weather patterns. Forests, for example, send large amounts of water vapor into the air through the combined effect of many plants.
So, whether you are studying plant life or noticing the damp air in a forest, remember that transpiration is one of the quiet forces that helps move water through plants and connects plant life to the wider environment.
Examples
- 1
Hot weather
On hot, dry days, plants lose water faster through transpiration.
- 2
Scientific measurement
Scientists measured the transpiration rate of the leaves at different temperatures.
- 3
Desert plants
A waxy coating helps reduce transpiration in desert plants.
See also
Similar
- plant water loss
- water vapor release
Shades of meaning
Contrast
- absorption
- guttation
Do not confuse
Used with (collocations)
- plant transpiration
- rate of transpiration
- transpiration stream
- transpiration pull
Word family
Explore
- stomata
- evapotranspiration
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- transpirationnoun